pitied, who being high-born
and bred had been reduced to the lowest exigencies of life, and from
which to be relieved she had only consented to assist the looser
pleasures of the amorous duke; but, added she, I would not methinks have
her seem to glory in her shame, and in a manner of life which her
misfortunes alone can render excusable; nor can I approve of the
indulgence her mistaken triumph meets with, because it may not only
destroy all notions of regret in herself for what her necessities oblige
her to, but also make others, who have not the same pretence, find a
kind of sanction for their own errors:--vice, said she, ought at lead to
blush, and hide itself as much as possible from view, left by being
tolerated in public it should become a fashion.

Horatio was so much taken up with admiring the justness of her
sentiments, that awed by them, as it were, he could not yet, tho'
mask'd, make any discovery of his own: she was about entering into a
discourse with him concerning the first motives which had rendered some
persons she pointed out to him unhappy in the marriage-state, which
perhaps might have given him an opportunity for explaining himself, when
a lady richly dress'd came up to them, and giving Horatio a sudden pluck
by the arm; villain! cried she. Madam, returned he, strongly amazed. Is
the trifling conversation of Sanserre, resumed she, or this little
creature to be preferred to a woman of that quality you have dared to
abuse?--but this night has convinced her of your perfidy:--she sends you
this, continued she, giving him a slap over the face as hard as she
could, and be assured it is the last present you will ever receive
from her.

She had no sooner uttered these words than she flew quick as lightning
out of the room, leaving Horatio in such a consternation both at what
she said and did, as deprived him even of the thought of following her,
or using any means to solve this riddle.--He was in a deep musing when
mademoiselle Charlotta, possessed that moment with a passion she till
then was ignorant of, said to him; I find, Horatio, you have wonderfully
improved the little time you have been in France, to gain you a
multiplicity of mistresses; but I am sorry my inadvertency in talking to
a man so doubly pre-engaged, should cause me to be reckoned among the
number. In speaking this she turned away with a confusion which was
visible in her air, and the scarlet colour with which her neck was dyed.
By heav